Description

Offered for sale is a Japan-only red vinyl compilation LP by the Association, called The Best of the Association, complete with original obi.

About this copy: This copy of The Best of the Association is an original 1968 pressing of the Japan-only release, pressed on red vinyl and including the original obi.

The gatefold cover is M- with a bit of foxing on the inside. The obi is also M-, though it has a bit of foxing on the back. The “hojyuhyo”, or reorder tag, is still attached to the obi. The gatefold cover includes liner notes in Japanese, lyrics in English and a black and white photo of the band. This LP was issued without an insert, as the information normally contained on the insert is printed on the inside of the cover.

The red vinyl disc is M-, aside from a tiny inaudible 1/2″ fingernail mark through parts of two songs on side two. The record appears to have only been played a couple of times.

A gorgeous copy of a nice collection that’s nearly impossible to find complete.

Background: The Association best remembered for harmony-driven late 1960s pop, put seven songs in the American Top 40 between 1966 and 1968, including two songs that reached #1 – “Cherish,” and “Windy.”

In 1968, Warner Brothers released The Association’s Greatest Hits in most countries around the world, including the U.S. For some reason, in Japan, a different LP was issued, titled The Best of the Association.

The Best of the Association had a different track list than The Association’s Greatest Hits and a completely different cover. In fact, the cover of the Japanese LP was the same cover used in the U.S. for the band’s 1967 LP Insight Out.

Tracks on The Best of the Association are:

Everything That Touches You

Windy

Changes

Reputation

Sometime

Wantin’ Ain’t Gettin’

Cherish

Never My Love

We Love Us

Happiness Is

When Love Comes to Me

Another Time, Another Place

Requiem for the Masses

Along Comes Mary

You can listen to “Along Comes Mary” here:

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